Branson examines spending process

BRANSON MO NEWS: To prevent cash-flow problems recently experienced by Branson, a city committee recently discussed making financial decisions more transparent.Discussing what city officials refer to as “the capital process” the Branson Capital Improvements Committee had a singular goal presented before them on Friday“We want to make it more transparent,” City Administrator Stan Dobbins said. “We want your involvement more than it has been, rather than finding out the bills afterwards.”

Discussion on the issue follows nearly two years of cash-flow issues for the city.“The last year and a half is where the cash flow has been an issue,” Branson Finance Director Jamie Rouch said. “Prior to that, the cash flow has not been the issue.”According to Rouch, the finance department has built a cash-flow model in the past six months to fix the issue.When asked about why the city has recently experienced cash-flow problems, Rouch said it stemmed from Branson not receiving an anticipated $13 million loan from the Missouri Department of Transportation Finance Corporation to pay for the 76 Complete Street Project.“All of the invoices started coming in and we did not have that in the plan because we assumed a loan,” Rouch said. “We had assumed, in the budget, in our cash, the $13.2 million loan. The loan did not happen, but the expenditures still did. So that started grabbing away at our cash, using our cash because you have the expenditure side but not the revenue side coming into offset that.“That’s what happened.”Branson Mayor Karen Best asked about the potential for putting together a cash-flow calendar.“We’re finding we’re not always getting our money when we’re supposed to be getting our money,” Best said. “We have a yearly budget, but we don’t have it broken down monthly.”According to …